Fallout
by K0nflicti0n
Summary: For decades Hetty Lange has done as she sees fit when it comes to the handling of her agents and their operations but now with the truth of the 'White Ghost' out in the open Hetty's actions will effect not only the team but the Office of Special Projects as well. (summary will change as story progresses)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So the response of people wanting to see a full blown story based off of Chapter 4 of When Dreams Die coupled with my personal distain for the character of Hetty right now has prompted this story idea. Also this take places the night of 'Windfall' in Season 5 so for all intents and purposes it's a couple hours after the end of the episode. I hope you guys enjoy!**

Kensi and Deeks were on her couch relaxing and somewhat celebrating the news that Kensi would once again be Deeks full time partner at work. Which meant beers, rocky road, and Top Model episodes Kensi had missed while she was reassigned. Of course Deeks had brought Monty with him and the retired police dog had been over the moon about the reunion and he refused to leave Kensi's side like he was afraid she would disappear again. Deeks completely understood how Monty was acting and he found himself moving his eyes towards Kensi whenever she would move and even going as far as keeping her in his line of sight whenever she would go get more beer. The two partners and best friends were enjoying the comfortable silence and would occasionally make remarks about the models or the challenge when a sudden knock on the door caused them both to flinch before they looked at each other.

Deeks motioned for Kensi to remain on the couch as he slowly stood up and made his way to the door. They both figured it might be the guys or maybe even Nell wanting to apologize again but they also knew how dangerous their line of work was, so caution was used as Deeks peeked out the blinds next to the door and was shocked to see Granger standing there in a polo and blue jeans.

"It's Granger!" Deeks hissed to Kensi causing her eyes to practically jump out of their sockets.

"That's correct detective and I would appreciate it if you would let me in please." Grangers voice drifting through the door and the fact that he had used the word please was so strange that Kensi and Deeks just stared at each other dumbfound. "Contrary to popular belief I do have manners. Even though having a conversation through a door is contradictory to that."

"Oh…uh right….Sorry." Deeks said as he opened the door and looked at Granger. At that moment Deeks didn't know what was weirder, the fact that Granger was dressed casually or that he had used the word please.

"May I come in?" Granger asked as he looked at Kensi since it was her home and slowly stepped in after she nodded. After Deeks closed the door behind him Granger moved to stand in the middle of Kensi's living room but off to the side of the TV. "Before I get to the reason I'm here I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry how things were handled in Afghanistan. We were both there under false pretenses and I should have known Hetty had an ulterior motive for insisting you be assigned the mission."

"Wait you're saying you knew Jack was the target?" Kensi asked since most the details about the truth of the matter were either extremely unclear or unknown to her because of her condition and subsequent treatment after her rescue.

Granger held up a hand to forestall and hasty comments Kensi might have made. "As far as I knew an American Veteran had gone native and was teaching the Taliban and Insurgents small unit tactics. The way the insurgents were fights was exactly how Marine Infantry Units engage in combat so that narrowed the search. After a while the C.I.A. started to quote unquote uncover information and finally came to the false conclusion that Jack Simon was the White Ghost." Granger paused and put his hands in his pants pockets and sighed heavily before he continued speaking, never once breaking eye contact with Kensi.

"When they told me a name I knew there was a connection between you and the name so I looked into your background and found out the history between you two. And before you interrupt me Deeks that was when I came back to L.A. to talk to Hetty." Granger said as he looked at Deeks who had his mouth open. "Agent Blye I tried to pull you from the assignment but it seems that Hetty had taken measure to ensure that you could not be removed from this assignment and had somehow convinced the C.I.A. to leave you in place."

"So that why you were so sure that Sabatino wasn't the White Ghost when I brought it up." Kensi said starting to put the pieces together.

"I've known Officer Sabatino for almost 15 years. All the way back to when he was a new Special Forces operator with the Army and I was still with the Agency." Granger said calmly.

"Wait I thought the C.I.A. used SEALS, MARSOC or their own people for operations?" Deeks asked slightly confused.

"They do Detective but there is also a highly classified small unit of the most elite Special Forces operators in the Army who answer to the President and routinely work with the C.I.A." Granger informed Deeks knowing that the always curious Detective would want to know about this and it gave Kensi some more time to process everything he was telling her.

"Wait so you're saying Delta Force is real? I thought that was just some Hollywood thing." Deeks said shocked at this little bit of news.

"They don't actually call themselves Delta Force but yeah Deeks, they're real." Kensi said wanting to get the conversation back on track since Deeks had a tendency to get sidetracked pretty easily at times.

"As I was saying when I came back to the camp after trying to pull you from the mission that when Sabatino told me the truth. He hadn't been there to kill Jack. Sabatino had been Jack's handler and the two of them had become friends and that Sabatino was trying to find Jack and get him back stateside." Granger paused as he reach up to scratch his forehead above his left eyebrow." Officer Sabatino had learned of the C.I.A.'s plan to kill Jack and he was trying to stop it."

"So that's why he would go off grid for days on end and why he was so angry with me for looking into his finances and following him with a UAV." Kensi said as more and more of the puzzle came together. "That still doesn't explain why he didn't just tell me the truth when we were outside the wire."

"According to him Sabatino took you with him that day because he had good solid Intel from his local contacts where Jack Simon was and he hoped that you would have been able help Sabatino convince Jack to come back to the states. Or at the very least leave Afghanistan." Granger said before he took a deep breath and collected his train of thought so he could say things in a manner that wouldn't upset Kensi more then she already was. "But the fact that you had been brought in as a shooter to kill a nameless and faceless target who was in truth your former fiancée, and you're subsequent investigation into Sabatino made him question bringing you along. Of course accusing him of being the White Ghost changed his mind completely about his plan forcing him to do what he did. But as it turns out Sabatino's information was about two days old so he didn't find Jack."

"Wha...What he did? What did he do Kens?" Deeks asked worried as he knew nothing about Kensi's mission other than she had been sent to Afghanistan for five months and then captured leading the team to go rescue her.

"He shot out the radiator of the car we were using. It lasted just long enough to get me back to base before the engine completely seized up." Kensi told him off hand never taking her eyes off Granger. "Not to be rude Assistant Director but where is this leading?"

"The end result of this entire fiasco resulted in the deaths of two dozen Taliban, one of them a still unknown high ranking member. Two injured personnel, a kidnapped and rescued Federal Agent and the exposure of a falsified Agency operation." Granger said getting to the point of his late night visit.

"So what? They're made that we broke their toy?" Deeks asked half joking half sarcastically as he looked at Kensi with a crocked grin and received a slight smile before he looked at Granger and noticed something in the older man's eyes. "Wait they aren't going to try and pin this on Kensi are they?"

"No but there is one person they are placing the blame on. And since the truth has come to light the C.I.A. are not the only ones who are angry with Hetty's actions and interference." Granger said as he looked at the two junior members of the OSP.

"They're going after Hetty?" Kensi asked shocked. "Why?"

"For interfering with an Agency operation, intentionally with holding vital information from the both the mission director and the members of the task force. And before either of you say it, yes I am aware that the C.I.A. was doing the same thing but they didn't create the circumstances that lead to your capture Agent Blye." Granger said calmly as he explained everything to the two partners. "Hetty knew once you saw that Jack was the target of the operation that you wouldn't take the shot, and once I found out who the White Ghost was I didn't think you would take the shot either."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kensi asked as the memories of what had happened after she missed the shot started to come back to her, regardless of how much she tried to stop them.

"Would you have believed me if I had told you that your ex-fiancée was training the Taliban on how to fight U.S. Troops?" Owen Granger countered taking care to keep his voice light and to not come across as accusing. "After you came back I could tell that you knew that Jack was the target of the assignment and I hoped that you would either tell me or request to be sent back to your team here in L.A."

"Would you have done that?" Kensi asked not fully trusting the man in front of her and as much as she hated to admit it she was glad that Deeks was here with her even though she was afraid how he would react if the subject of her capture came up.

'If you had said something to either myself or Sabatino, we would have told you the truth about what was going on and either sent you back or had you help us convince Jack to come back to the States." Granger said being completely truthful. "Look I know your entire office thinks I'm the big bad wolf come to blow the house down. But the truth is I've been doing everything I can to keep it standing. It's been that way ever since I arrived in Los Angeles."

Granger shared a look with Kensi and he didn't miss the silent thank you in her eyes for not going into detail on how she was captured. Kensi knew she would have to tell Deeks the truth eventually but everything was still so fresh for her that she was afraid he would leave just like Jack had, even though part of her knew he wouldn't never just walk away from her like that. But seeing Jack and then being beaten and almost taken to God knows where in Pakistan had left her questioning a lot of things, Deeks among them.

"In case you hadn't noticed Granger you don't exactly play well with others." Deeks spoke up not believing Granger's last statement.

"In this line of work no one plays well with others." Granger said as he leveled a firm glare at Deeks. "Underneath the mask of a caring wise old Operations Manager Hetty Lange is still very much a trained assassin and master manipulator of people. How many times has your team stuck its collective neck out for Hetty? Romania, The Russian Embassy, the Victor Potter case. All examples of Hetty twisting things to her advantage by playing on your loyalty to her when she has never done anything to prove that she shows any loyalty to any of you."

Granger looked at the ground before he looked back to the two younger individuals on the couch in front of him. "I've known Hetty Lange longer than both of you have been alive and believe me when I say that Hetty's first and only priority is to the mission."

"And how is that any different from what you just told or anything we have seen from you in the past?" Kensi challenged him. Sure she was pissed since the truth about her supposed mission to Afghanistan was starting to come to light, but that didn't mean she fully trusted Granger.

"Because I have never lied to my people." Granger said as he looked at her.

"A lie of omission is still a lie Granger." Deeks said quickly and harshly since Granger had told them he had known that Jack was the so called White Ghost minutes ago. "You didn't tell Kensi who her target was in Afghanistan." Deeks paused as he noticed the slight stiffening of Kensi's back at the mention of Afghanistan but he kept going. "And let's not forget when you accused Kensi of killing members of her dad's old unit."

"You're a lawyer and a police officer Detective. If you had received evidence that a highly skilled and trained Special Agent was routinely requesting information about her father's case and the whereabouts of the rest of his unit only for those men to turn up dead what would you think? I never wanted to believe that Kensi was responsible why do you think I went to the meeting between Agent Blye and Alex Harris? He said he knew who it was that was killing the team members so one of two things would happen." Granger said as he looked at Kensi and frowned before he spoke up. "Either Harris would try to kill Kensi as a last loose end or Kensi would walk away from the meeting and Alex Harris would wind up dead sometime after that. I had no idea that Peter Clairemont was alive and the one killing the men who had once been under his command."

This was all becoming too much for Kensi and she felt herself on the verge of a panic attack so she stood up from the couch suddenly, which sent Monty jolting from the couch in surprise before he returned to stand beside Kensi. "Well if you could get to the point of your visit I would appreciate it Granger since I am tired and want to go to bed."

"The reason I'm here Agent Blye is because your office is going to come under investigation very soon and I want you two to know that I will do everything I can to minimize the damage as much as I can. Even though at times it won't seem like it. My job as Assistant Director is to protect this agency and by extension it's Agents, and Liaison." With that the Assistant Director walked out of Kensi's apartment leaving the two partners be.

**A/N: Now I know this is a dick move to post a chapter for a story and then not update it. But for what I have planned (yes I actually planned this story out shocking I know) I absolutely HAVE to wait for the end of this season before I update again. That being said I might do a little something in the meantime with this story (depending on the initial response) or work on one of the other stories that haven't been updated in a while. And before you make a request which one I update let me just go ahead and invoke 'writers prerogative' LOL. Thanks for reading this and let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Kensi stood there every fiber of her body tense and her breathing deep and rapid as her eyes darted all around her living room as she stood as still as a board. Granger had just told her more of the truth about why she had been sent to Afghanistan and with her capture and the numerous cruel beatings she had suffered coupled with the emotional distress of seeing Jack again after a decade being so fresh was in the grasp of a panic attack that threatened to consume her soul.

Having been in Kensi position before Deeks knew just what was happening to his partner. He also knew that Kensi was far more skilled and dangerous then was and that a rash action on his part in effort to comfort her could result in a particularly sever outcome for him so very slowly and calmly he start to talk to Kensi.

"Hey Kensi. I know that you're trying to process everything Granger just told you right now, just like I know you're having a panic attack and everything is coming back to you. So before I do anything I want you to know that I've been where you are right now ok?" Deeks waited a few seconds not actually expecting a response as he observed Kensi's posture and noticed that her hands were balled into white knuckled fists and he couldn't help but think back to the day she had been Afghanistan and she had punched him. Forcing himself to push that memory aside for now Deeks started talking to her again.

"Now I'm going to get up slowly and then I'm going to move to stand in front of you." As Deeks slowly stood up he kept talking. "See I happen to have a little experience with what you're going through. In fact Monty does to so you are not alone in this Kensi." Deeks tossed the small joke in to see if it would have any effect of his partner he frowned but he kept talking as he moved in a wide circle around Kensi so he didn't startle her and make it worse.

"Right now I'm willing to bet that your mind is going over everything that happened to you over there and if you can hear me at all right now I just want you to focus on the sound of my voice. You know the voice you used to annoy you with constant babbling and make inappropriate remarks and rather unprofessional innuendo directed mainly at you. Actually it's kinda funny because for the first time between us and our thing, which by the way when you said that out loud to me before I went with Thapa to the hospital I was the happiest I have ever been in a very very long time. But back to my original point." By now Deeks was almost in front of Kensi and he noticed that while her body was in full blown 'fight or flight' mode her eyes had locked on him so he took that as a good sign that he was starting to get through to her.

"For the first time between us I am actually saying what I mean. And that is that you mean everything to me Kensi. For a while we honestly thought you might very well be dead and there…there was a picture that did to me what Sidorov couldn't. That picture broke me Kensi and made me realize that I do not want to live in a world without you." Deeks was standing in front of Kensi and there was about six feet of room between them, for both his safety and hers as well. "When I took you to that restaurant I wasn't just talking about partners with benefits or a casual fling. You are one of the two most important people in my life. I know a lot of people say that they would do anything for the people they care about but the truth is I really would do anything for you. I have done anything for you Kensi and it scares me."

Deeks noticed that Kensi's body wasn't as stiff and that her breathing was at a slower rate and as much as he didn't want to he kept explaining everything to her.

"When I made Hetty send me the…picture of you it broke something inside of me Kensi and for a moment I turned into something worse than Max Gentry and it scares me. I water boarded a blind old man because he had information that would lead us to you. Part of me knew he would never talk and the Afghani Special Forces guy I was with told me that but I didn't care. In fact I didn't care if I killed him by accident because I wanted to hunt down and kill every single person who had a hand in your death. But even with all that fear and rage I couldn't force myself to torture a human being because I knew what you would have thought if you were alive because at that moment I honestly believed you were dead and I didn't want you to be ashamed of me."

Deeks stopped talking when he saw a single tear roll down Kensi's cheek and he wasn't sure if it was because of her memories or of what he just told her so he silently stood there and waited for whatever would happen next. The two of them stared at each for a couple of minutes before Kensi slowly moved closer Deeks and eventually hooked her arms under his and put her head on his chest, the exact same way they had held onto each other for support weeks ago outside the medical tent of Camp Chapman.

"I hate this." She softly muttered as they held onto the thing that had saved both of them from their own darkness. "I hate what this has done to me and you. What's its doing to us."

Deeks couldn't stop the small shuddering breath that escaped his lips and he hugged her a little tighter and rested his check against the top of Kensi's head. "I know. But you pulled me back when I needed you the most and I'll do the same for you. I'll be with you every step of the way."

"Even if I don't see you." Kensi said and they both thought back to the case with Stanley King.

"Exactly." Was ass Deeks said as he stood their offering any and all support Kensi wanted or was willing to accept right now.

**A/N: So there you go folks a nice little filler chapter and my take on Deeks thought process after Hetty sent him the picture of Kensi and his actions with the cleric immediately afterwards. Hope you guys liked it and as always leave a review and hit that favorite/follow button.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So originally I WAS going to wait until the end of this season to start really working on this but the fact that there is another god damn break in new episodes next week I'm throwing the original plan (plan not storyline) out the window and doing things my way.**

It had been two weeks since Granger had surprised Deeks and Kensi at her apartment and the partners were sitting on Deeks couch eating Chinese take-out and watching a horror movie when there was a sudden knock at the door which caused Kensi to jump, much to the amusement of Deeks but he wisely kept his mouth shut as he stood up and looked through the peephole. Once again Assistant Director Granger was paying an unexpected visit to the younger duo of the OSP, only this time Deeks noticed three large folders in his hand.

Deeks sighed as he opened the door and nodded at the semi bald Assistant Director. "Granger, come on in." Deeks said as he stepped to the side to allow his unexpected quest entry into his apartment. Out fo the corner of his eye Deeks spotted Kensi stiffen slightly since the last time Granger had talked to them he had dropped a rather large bombshell about Kensi's supposed mission to Afghanistan.

"Deeks, Blye." Granger said evenly as he walked into the apartment and looked around the Detective's apartment and noted that it was what he had expected since he had been exposed to Deeks personality long enough. "Sorry to interrupt but I thought you might want to see these." Granger informed them as he held of the three rather large files for them to look at before he offered them to Deeks.

"Oh goodie homework." Deeks said somewhat sarcastically as he accepted the offered items and sat back down on the couch next to Kensi.

"Not so much homework as research and extra credit Detective." Granger said slightly annoyed at Deeks flippant attitude, but then again Granger knew he was interrupting their usual Friday night movie and he still had a fairly undeserved reputation because of the team's loyalty to Hetty. Even though Deeks and Kensi had less faith in the diminutive Operations Manager than they previously held.

"Research for what?" Kensi asked apprehensively afraid Deeks was being sent on an assignment for Granger.

"The truth about Afghanistan Agent Blye." Granger said as he sat in a chair near the couch and looked at the shocked faces on Kensi and Deeks. "I told you last week that I'm not your enemy. It took some digging through the secured NCIS mainframe but as far as I can tell those files are the whole story of Kensi's reassignment to Afghanistan and the White Ghost task force."

"You mean the task for to kill Jack." Kensi corrected him her voice a little harsher than intended.

"As I told you before Agent Blye I had no knowledge of who the White Ghost was until Officer Sabitino informed me of the truth and his plan. However if those files are correct than the C.I.A. weren't the only one who knew the truth about the taskforce." Granger said as he nodded his head at them.

"Wha…What does that mean?" Deeks asked as he looked from Granger to Kensi and back again.

"What that means Detective is that Hetty Lange knows Jack Simon." Granger said as he leaned forward and selected the thinner of the three files, the one named Jack's Ghost, and placed it on top of the pile. "While I can't be sure how long Hetty has known Jack I can be sure that they have known each other since Jack's deployment to Fallujah." Granger paused as he looked at Kensi with a small amount of sorrow in his eyes because he hated doing this to the daughter of a man he had once considered a friend. "And while it has been sporadic Hetty and Jack Simon have remained in contact over the years."

Kensi sat there and felt in someone had just pulled the roof of Deeks apartment down around her ears. Hetty had known Jack, and his whereabouts, all these years and had never told her. Ever since the Talbot case everyone in the OSP had known Kensi had been engaged to a Marine who suffered greatly from PTSD and that he had left her, and when the Team had rescued her in Afghanistan they had met Jack. Now it turns out that Hetty had known Jack the whole time and instead of a panic attack Kensi felt a smoldering rage building in her very core.

"She. Knew." Kensi growled out as she grabbed the file and opened it to see that the front of the file was her engagement picture with Jack, a picture that had been taken two weeks before he deployed. "This is why I was sent to Afghanistan?"

"Unfortunately it is Miss Blye." Granger said his voice calm and steady even though he was just as furious as Kensi, well maybe not as much but he was still plenty mad. "It seems that Jack had contacted Hetty with concerns that because of his exposure to the number of C.I.A. assets in country Jack Simon feared that the Agency would eliminate him as a possible threat to operational security."

"What you're really saying is that Hetty played Kensi when all along she knew the truth about the entire operation." Deeks clarified feeling betrayed that Hetty would do this to one of them and that she had willingly let him feel as if he was to blame the entire five months that Kensi had been reassigned.

"In not as many words Detective, but yes. The file Kensi is holding contains all the information Hetty had on Jack as well as a copy of their communications over the years. The file labeled 'The Ghost' is the C.I.A's dossier on Jack Simon while he had been their contact and asset in country, up to and including when they decided that he had become a liability."

Granger paused as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. What he was about to say next was something he had hoped to avoid but it was better to get it out in the open where he was able to contain the situation and hopefully smooth things over. "The third and final file is contains everything about the taskforce in Afghanistan. Including Agent Blye's capture and the circumstances surrounding it.

"Cir…Circumstances?" Deeks asked completely confused. He had always thought that Kensi had been found and captured when she was out in the field. "Kensi what…what's he saying?"

Kensi looked down at her hands and was struggling to hold back her tears. She had been afraid of Deeks finding out how and why she was captured and what he would think. Secretly she was afraid that if Deeks found out that she had allowed herself to be captured to get close to Jack, who at the time she firmly believed was the White Ghost as she had been told. A American who had gone native and was working with the Taliban.

"I…." Kensi trailed off as she closed her eyes as tight as she could and the tears began to fall. "Deeks I wasn't captured when I was out in the field….I….I let them capture me." Kensi weakly muttered and she couldn't face the look of betrayal she was sure that was plastered all over Deeks face.

"When Hetty assigned Agent Blye to the task force as a shooter she knew that Kensi would not be able to take the shot when she finally located Jack." Granger said evenly as he looked Deeks in the eyes. "But Hetty underestimated her knowledge of Kensi and how she would react."

"So...So that's how you missed?" Deeks asked as he looked at Kensi who still refused to look at him. "I thought it was weird that you had missed the shot that would have ended everything and brought you home….but it makes sense."

"I'm sorry Deeks." Kensi muttered as the tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"Kensi….." Deeks paused as he sighed heavily and he hated to see Kensi like this and that he was the cause of it. "Kensi look at me….please." Only because of the hurt and pleading tone of his voice Kensi finally forced herself to look at him and trying to mentally prepare herself for the outburst she was expecting, only it never came.

"I'm not mad at you. Surprised and a little worried but not mad." Deeks said evenly as he looked at her and resisted the urge to hold her and let her know everything would be ok since Granger was still there. "I get why you did it. Really I do. You wanted to believe that the man who were going to marry could never turn traitor."

"How can you be…"

"Be so calm about this? Because I know you Kensi and I know who you are." Deeks finished as he gave her a small smile as Kensi reached up to wipe her tears away.

Granger leaned back and resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relieve that things had gone as smooth as they had. While he knew that there was something between Kensi and Deeks he had been afraid that this news would crush them, something he did not want to happen. "I'm sorry to drop all of this one you but I need you both to know the truth about everything. Hetty Lange is going to face a administrative board of the top brass within NCIS as well as the Secretary Porter."

"So I assume you'll be part of that board as well?" Kensi asked realizing the severity of Hetty's situation.

"No I won't." granger said simply as he looked at the two younger OSP members and almost grinned at their shocked faces.

"Why not?" Deeks asked as he look at Granger in disbelieve. "Don't get me wrong but it seems like you've been after Hetty for years and now you have a chance to end her career."

Granger sighed as he looked at the two of them. He had hoped to put this off for another day or two but it was time to show his hand. "SecNav and Director Vance both want to disband and shut down the Office of Special Projects." Deeks and Kensi exchanged a worried look, worried because they would be split up and might never see each other and their friends again. "But the past five years have shown the validity of a unit like yours and the value it holds for not only NCIS but our national security as well. So in order to protect the team I made a deal with SecNav and the Director of NCIS."

"What kind of deal?" Kensi asked worried because this was the kind of scandal that ruined and ended not only the perpetrator's career, but that of everyone in the unit's career as well.

"In order to ensure the safety and survival of the OSP SecNav and Director Vance want someone they can trust not to interfere with any case or operation assigned to your office. In order for this to happen I had to step down as the Assistant Director of NCIS." Granger told them calmly.

"Wait you what? Isn't that career suicide?" Deeks asked not really understanding what was being said, unlike his partner who put the pieces together.

"It is Deeks. But Granger didn't commit career suicide, he jumped on a grenade." Kensi said as she figured everything out and wasn't sure how she felt about her conclusion. For years he had been seen as the 'enemy' but now Kensi couldn't wonder if that was because Hetty had manipulated them all to being blindly loyal to her.

"Ok as ironic as it is for me to say this." Deeks couldn't help but grin slightly at Kensi. "But will someone please say what the hell they actually mean."

"It means I'm your new boss Detective."


	4. Chapter 4

Deeks rushed into the building that housed the Office of Special Projects in a rushed and frantic manner. Just like the last time Granger had visited Kensi and Deeks he had dropped a bombshell on both of them, only this time Deeks knew there were going to be repercussions at the office. He only hoped he could get there in time. He had woke up early that morning and was going to give Kensi a ride to work so he wasn't surprised to see that her car was still in her usual parking space. After knocking on the door for a few minutes Deeks used the spare key he had made while she was in Afghanistan and found that his partner was absent from her domicile. Thinking Kensi had gone for a run Deeks called her iPhone to let her know he was at her place. While the phone rang Deeks went to make a pot of coffee he noticed something was absent from Kensi kitchen table, several somethings in fact. The backpack Kensi sometimes used as a go-bag was missing, along with the three files Deeks had left there Sunday night.

"Oh no." Deeks said softly as he rushed into Kensi's bedroom and franticly looked on her nightstand for his partner's keys, which were missing. Knowing that her car was still parked out front this left one other option for Kensi's mode of transportation, her motorcycle. Deeks rushed out of Kensi's apartment, pausing just long enough to lock the door behind him as he rushed to the apartment building storage units where Kensi kept her motorcycle and a few other things that wouldn't fit in her already cluttered apartment. It took Deeks a little longer than normal to pick the lock and when he did he immediately saw that Kensi's bike was also missing.

"Oh this is not going to be good." Deeks said as he closed the storage unit and ran towards his truck hoping against time and early morning Los Angeles traffic he could get to work before his partner.

Fate it would seem was not on the side of Marty Deeks as he finally pulled into the parking area of the 'condemned' Water Administration building and he sprinted inside, not even bothering to lock his truck. As Deeks made a beeline for the bullpen he spotted Hetty calmly sitting at her desk drinking tea.

"Whoa! Looks who's early this morning G." Sam said as he looked up at Deeks who had a frantic look on his face. "I think he's going into shock from being here this early." Sam said teasing Deeks, much as he did every morning.

"Where's Kensi?" Deeks asked as he looked at her desk and saw that her backpack was beside her desk and he rushed forward to inspect it as he crouched down.

"Deeks what are you doing? Kensi is going to kill you for going through her stuff." Callen said as he stood up from his Deeks to observe the frantic actions of the LAPD Liaison.

"No no no no no! Damn it…" Deeks said as he stood up and looked around the immediate area as he tried to spot his partner.

"Deeks slow down and tell us what's going on." Sam said finally figuring out that something was indeed very wrong with Deeks this morning.

"Where is my partner?!" Deeks demanded as he looked back and forth between the two older agents when he suddenly spotted his target. Kensi was walking towards the bullpen with a determined look on her face and her strides were full of purpose as the clutched the three files in her hand. "Kensi wait." Deeks said as he walked towards her and moved to grab the files from her, only to receive a bit of a stiff arm to his chest as his partner side stepped him.

"No this is happening and it's happening right now." Kensi growled out as she walked past Deeks. Part of her felt bad for stopping Deeks since she knew he was just looking out for her but she was feeling angry (because dogs go mad not people) and betrayed but her current emotional state won out over her regret for her treatment of Deeks when he was trying to help her.

"What did you do this time Deeks?" Callen joked completely unaware of what the younger member of the team knew and just assumed that Kensi's actions were because of Deeks.

"It wasn't me." Deeks simply said as he stood there and watched Kensi stop right in front of Hetty's desk.

"That's what you said last time." Callen responded still grinning.

"And the time before that, and before that." Sam chimed in thinking that Kensi had gone to Hetty because of something Deeks had done. "In fact every time Kensi is mad its your fault."

"Not this time." Deeks said simply and in such a calm and subdued manner that it caused Sam and Callen to share and confused look.

Hetty looked up at Kensi and she took note of Kensi's posture and the determined set of her Jaw and the older woman knew what was about to happen but she had manipulated and twisted her agents repeatedly for the past five years so she prepared herself to do it yet again. "Ah, good morning Miss. Blye."

"Is it true?" Kensi demanded, her voice lacking any semblance of respect or civility, as she glared at her boss and a woman she had once considered a friend.

"Such and open ended question could apply to a great many things Miss Blye." Hetty said as she calmly put down her tea cup and folded her fingers together. "I'm afraid you will have to be more specific."

"How's this for starters?" Kensi said as she grabbed the file labeled 'White Ghost' the same file that the C.I.A. had fabricated to gather a task force to locate and kill her ex-fiancée Jack Simon.

"Hetty looked at the file and maintained her almost legendary poker face. "Much like you my dear I was in the dark about the truth of the true purpose of the task force and its mission to kill Mr. Simon. If I had known the truth behind the task force I would have never sent you."

By now Sam and Callen had moved closer to listen what was going on while Deeks remained standing by the bullpen. He already knew everything Kensi did and as much as he wanted to be up there with her facing down Hetty, Deeks also knew that this was his partner, his best friend, his everything's fight and that she had to face ti on her own.

"Don't lie to me Hetty!" Kensi shouted at the smaller woman as she glared at her.

"Miss Blye I don't know what it is that you believe you know but I can assure you…"

"That you have known Jack Simon for almost as long as I have and that you have been in contact with him over the years?" Kensi challenged as she slammed the folder labeled 'Jack's Ghost' down on Hetty's desk and opened up to the page that had started all of this and began to read it.

"Secure Communication dated November 17th 2013." Kensi paused as she looked at Hetty's face and noticed that the façade had started to crack. "Hetty I have been providing low level and local intelligence to the C.I.A. since the death of my wife and daughter two years ago. But I'm afraid I have come into contact with too many of their assets and I think they are going to kill me. I don't know who else to turn to but I need your help."

Kensi practically threw the paper in Hetty's face. "Since it seems you are incapable of telling the truth to anyone I want to know why? Why send me under the lie of being a shooter? Why tell me that there was a mole in the task force when you were trying to find out if anyone else was actually there to help Jack and knew the truth? If you wanted to protect Jack so bad why not send Sam and Callen to meet and extract him from Afghanistan?" Kensi started to pace in front of Hetty's desk and was vaguely aware that everyone in the building was watching her. She turned her head to look at Deeks who simply gave her a slight nod of his head and a subtle wink telling her that he was in her corner.

"I want to know where you got this and I want to know right now!" Hetty said slowly as she stood up her voice making it clear that this was not up for debate.

"And I want you to stop lying to us and stop treating us like pawns on a chess board." Kensi replied not backing down from Hetty at all. The two visits from Owen Granger had shattered the 'spell' Hetty had spun over Kensi and Deeks and now that she knew the truth about her reassignment she wanted answer and Kensi was not going to stop until she got them.

"I don't answer to you Miss Blye, but you do answer to me and I want to know where you got these files." Hetty said determined as she thrust her right pointer finger at the three files on her desk.

"I gave them to her Henrietta." The low semi gravelly voice of Owen Granger filled the air as every turned to see Granger flanked by two unknown agents on either side of him.

"I should have known you would be behind this." Hetty accused as she glared at him. The death glare Hetty was sending Granger would have sent anyone else running. But Grange had known Hetty far longer than most people and had made a career out of dealing with people far more dangerous than the urban legend of Hetty Lange.

"No this time you did it to yourself Hetty." Granger said calmly as he stood there and looked at Kensi. "Agent Blye stand down. I'll take it from here."

Kensi kept glaring at Hetty because she wanted answers that only Hetty could give. "Kensi…..Kens come one." Deeks said as he had walked up behind her and gently tugged on her elbow. As Deeks let Kensi away and towards the shooting range Callen saw the exchange of nods between Deeks and Granger.

"Wait! You two are working with him!" Callen said as he glared at Deeks and Kensi feeling betrayed.

Deeks felt Kensi stiffen next to him and he moved to stand between her and Callen. "Kensi, hey look at me." Deeks waited for her to do just that before he started speaking again. "Just let me take care of this ok? You faced your fight now I need to face mine." Kensi sighed in defeat because she knew Deeks was right and she nodded at him before she walked off into the building, either towards the gym or the firing range.

Deeks waited until she turned a corner and turned to face Callen. "Yes we are"

"How could you betray us, Hetty like that? I mean you I would expect it from but Kensi? Where do you get off thinking you can just change things to suite your needs around here Deeks?" Callen was practically shouting at him.

"Us betray Hetty?" Deeks said somewhat shocked but he knew that Callen was fiercely loyal to their boss, well former boss but only he and Kensi knew that for now. "I'm not surprised that you would think that. Even though Hetty has been playing us all like a fiddle for years."

"That's a load of crap and you know it Deeks. You're just pissed off that your girlfriend got sent to Afghanistan because you two screwed up!"

"No we didn't screw up! Hetty has known Jack for years and she used Kensi! Hetty knew Kensi would never take that shot in a million years so she sent Kensi to Afghanistan and told her it was to kill a terrorist and that there might be a mole in the taskforce hunting him." Deeks shot right back not one bit intimidated by the wild look in Callen's eyes. "Hetty has been playing all of us for years and you know it! You just don't want to admit it."

"Name one time! Name one time Hetty has played and manipulated us! You can't because Hetty has never done that and never would do that to us." Callen said taking a step closer to Deeks only to have Sam move to stand between the two of them.

"Does Romania ring a bell?" Deeks said evenly over Sam's massive shoulders. "Operation Comescu? A blood feud between the Callen's and Comescu's dating back to World War II? Or have you forgotten that Hetty knew about that? That an entire crime family in Romania wanted you dead because of something your grandfather did."

"She left to protect me, to protect all of us." Callen said not wanting to believe what Deeks was saying.

"Oh come on man! You can't actually believe that. Everyone in this building knows how loyal you are to Hetty, including Hetty! She knew you would follow her. And in turn Sam would follow you, Kensi would follow the both of you because you're a team and I followed because Kensi left and I felt loyal to Hetty as well at the time." 

"That's right felt Deeks, as in past tense! Because we both know this is all about Hetty sending Kensi away. She did that to protect the team because you two can't keep your personal and professional lives separate!' Callen fired right back refusing to believe that Deeks was right. Because to do that would mean that the only person other than Sam he considered family had been using him for years.

"You are so blind Callen! Remember Hunter? If she were alive I'd ask her the same thing. But she's not because she trusted Hetty and let her bring her into this life. Same with Grace Stevens and you. All three orphans that Hetty hand molded into the perfect agents from behind the scenes."

Callen opened his mouth to reply but Deeks words sparked the memory of a shouting match between himself and Hetty years ago. A shouting match that resulted in Callen finding out that Hetty had used and recruited a large number of orphan children for this particular line of work and passed it off as given orphans who would have fallen through the cracks of the system, and by extension society, a chance at a meaningful life.

Callen relaxed in Sam's grip and slowly turned to face Hetty, who had the decency to look ashamed. "Tell me it's not true Hetty."


	5. Chapter 5

Callen stood their staring at Hetty a wild and confused look in his eyes as he waited for her to answer him. "Tell me that everything Deeks just said isn't the truth Hetty." Callen was practically pleading with her at this point, pleading that his entire life wasn't part of a well thought and executed plan, pleading that one person he trusted above all others hadn't been lying to him.

"The truth is what we make it, Mr. Callen." Hetty said evenly as she stared back at Callen with an impassive look on her face, until her gaze shifted to Deeks and it became a stranger mix of anger, sorrow and betrayal. But Deeks simple gave Hetty the same impassive and almost blank stare she was known for before he turned around to go find his partner, leaving a stunned and betrayed Callen to watch as Granger and the two Agents with him escorted Hetty out of the building.

Deeks didn't have to go very far, or look very long because he knew Kensi so well, and he found her in the first place he looked. The shooting range and he watched from behind the closed door as Kensi rapidly fired, which happened to be against one of Hetty's rules, the entire clip of her Sig and instantly replace it with a fresh mag before she emptied that one was well followed by a third and final magazine of the .40 caliber hand gun. Once Kensi put her side arm down on the shooting bench in front of her Deeks opened the door and walked in.

"I can not believe her! This whole time she has been using us!" Kensi railed with her back still towards Deeks as he closed and locked the door behind him.

"I know."

"She knew jack this whole time! Where he was. How he was doing! The fact that he had moved on with his life and I had been left with nothing but pain and unanswered questions!" Kensi's voice was starting to crack from the strain as she grew louder and louder.

"I know."

"WOULD YOU STOP SAYING I KNOW?!" Kensi demanded as she turned to face him and finally stopped her rant when she say the look in his eyes. While everything that had happened in Afghanistan was so fresh and raw for her Kensi never paused to realize that this was effecting Deeks just as much as it was her. "How…how can you be so calm about all of this?"

"Because it's not the first time in my life someone I trusted has done this to me….or turned out to be a monster." Deeks said evenly with a strong tone of voice that was betrayed by the unshed tears in his eyes. Of course in her emotional state Kensi misunderstood him.

"Oh god Deeks. I hit you….I...I'm so…" Kensi was cut off when Deeks stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Kensi I wasn't talking about that. And you don't have to apologize you were mad and frustrated and we both thought one of us was going to die." Deeks said as he stood their holding Kensi as her felt her body shaking and he knew she was crying but refused to make a sound. Even when she was emotionally hurt she was still Wonder Woman to him.

"I was talking about my dad and Scarli and a few other dirty cops over the years." Deeks said softly as he stood their holding Kensi as she cried and he felt her arms come up under his and rest on his shoulder blades, the exact same way they had held onto each other not all that long ago outside the medical tent of Camp Chapman.

"Yes I do Deeks." Kensi feebly tried to counter but everything that had happened to her came rushing back and Deeks just stood there silently supporting her.

"Ok." Deeks said as he kissed the side of her head softly before resting his chin on top of her head. "Then I forgive you Kensi." Deeks said trying to calm her down because as early as it was in the day he knew that there was still a lot for them to deal with. Neither one of them were sure exactly how long they stood there but a soft knock on the safety glass of the door caused Deeks to look at the noise and he spotted Sam standing there.

Slowly Deeks let go of Kensi and gave her a questioning look, to which she pressed her lips together and nodded her head as she wiped her tear streaked cheeks. "What's up Sam?" Deeks asked as he opened the door and stood there between the former Navy SEAL and his partner.

"Granger wants everyone up in ops." Sam said softly as he looked at Deeks and forced himself to ignore the fact tht Kensi had been crying and that she was desperately trying to dry her face of. "If you guys need another minute or two…"

"We're fine." Kensi said as she moved to stand beside Deeks and looked at Sam with a expression that practically screamed 'feel free to try me it you don't believe me'. Luckily Sam simply nodded his head at her and Deeks before walking away letting the door close behind him.

"You do realize I know what you really mean when you say fine?" Deeks said with a bit of a crocked grin and was relieved when the smallest of smiles graced her features. "But this time I'll agree with you because things are not ok but you know what Kensalina?"

Kensi found herself rolling her eyes and the grin on her face grew a little bit more. "No Deeks but I'm sure you are going to tell me no matter what I say."

"We'll be ok we just have to do something that Thapa told me in the ambulance on the way to the hospital." Deeks said as he looked in her eyes and moved closer towards her. "There is a way to cross a frozen lake. You just have to walk slowly and take your time to look at everything around you."

Kensi's face slowly morphed into surprise before she grinned completely at Deeks. "Touché."

"Oh my god Fern." Deeks amused filled the sound proof room of the firing. "I think you actually got it right that time."


	6. Chapter 6

After Kensi had completely dried her eyes and face her and Deeks made their way up to ops. As the duo walked into Ops they knew that they were going to face some backlash from Callen, but the never expected the looks of betrayal to be so prominent on the faces of Nell and Eric. Kensi's emotions were still rather raw from breaking down again and crying in the firing range to the point where she had let Deeks hug her and support her while they were at work so she looked at the floor and wrapped her arms around her stomach like she was trying to comfort herself. Deeks on the other hand, well after his years of mistreatment at LAPD Deeks was used to co-workers acting less than favorably towards him to he just let it roll off his back.

"Now that everyone's here we can get started." Granger said as he stood in front of the large and oddly blank screen they normally used for briefings. "First off I want to apologize to each and every one of you for the way Kensi's reassignment to Afghanistan was handled. Agent Blye, as you all know was reassigned at Hetty's insistence to be a sniper on a joint task force between the CIA and NCIS. What none of us, myself included, knew at the time was that Hetty knew exactly who the target of the task force was. Because Hetty was withholding vital information about not only the target but the true nature of the task force from Agent Blye and myself Hetty created the circumstances that led to Kensi's capture." Granger hand his hands in his pockets as he paced back and forth in front of the team who seemed to be keeping the computerized table between them and Granger.

"That still doesn't explain why you told Kensi and Deeks the truth about the mission, or why you had to armed agents escort Hetty out of the building to who knows where." Sam spoke up seeming to become the voice of the team since Callen simply stood there with a defeated look in his eyes.

"You of all people understand the implication when a senior member of the chain of command begins to abuse their authority to suite their own goals Agent Hanna." Granger said calmly as he stopped pacing and looked at Sam. "I understand that right now you are all confused and angry at how this entire situation has unfolded but the fact remains that Henrietta has abused her position of power within NCIS and this unit for far too long and this time it almost lead to the deaths of many of you in this room." As Granger spoke the thoughts of Sam Kensi and Callen drifted to just how close they had come to being killed because of a bogus mission.

"What's…uh…What's going to happen to Hetty?" Eric asked nervously as he stood next to Nell as the two technical support members of the team were unsure of what to do.

"Henrietta will be escorted to D.C. where she will face a disciplinary board. Mostly likely Hetty will be stripped of her security clearance and forced to retire." Granger said as he looked at Eric. "Hetty has been incredibly smart in the actions she has taken and has done nothing criminal or anything that would cause her to end up in a federal penitentiary."

"So I guess this is the part where you tell us to pack our bags because we are all being reassigned and this unit is disbanded right, Assistant Director.?" Sam spoke up still a little pissed off about the whole situation and it was impossible to miss the sarcasm the large former SEAL used when he address Granger.

"Yes and no Agent Hannah. You all do need to pack up your personal belongings since you are all being reassigned. But this unit is not being disbanded. As a matter of fact it's being moved to a new location." Granger said as everyone, Kensi and Deeks included had a shocked and confused look on their faces. "Over the past five years this office has successfully completed several operations that have prevented and or eliminated very real threats to our nation's security. However it has remained in one place for far too long. So as of right now this unit will stand down for the next three months while a new Operations Center is put into place."

"I know I'm not the most popular man in the room and quite frankly I don't give a damn what you think of me." Granger said as he finally was getting to the heart of the matter. "What I do give a damn about is if you feel you can continue to work in this office and under my supervision. So to give you all a period of adjustment I have a special assignment for each of you."

"What choice do we have? You're the new boss now Assistant Granger." Callen had finally spoken up and his voice was flat and almost monotone as the man who didn't know his own first name picked his head up.

Granger sighed as he looked at Callen and he knew that the younger agent was just 'going through the motions right now' so he decided to finally tell them all the truth. "I'm not an assistant Director anymore. Many of the top brass within NCIS and a few of the other agencies wanted this unit disbanded and scattered because of Hetty's actions with the Afghanistan task force. But I know and see the use of a team like this so I made a deal with SecNav and Director Vance. In order to preserve this unit I convinced them to allow me to step down at Assistant Director and take over as Operations Manager."

"That's career suicide why would you do that?" Sam asked as he unfolded his arms from in front of his massive chest and stared at Granger in shock.

"As I said Agent Hannah I give a damn about this unit because of its vital importance. So for the next three months each of you are going to play a vital roll in the reconstruction of this unit. But before we get started anyone that feels they cannot work with me or in the unit speak up now and I'll gladly reassign you to where ever you want to be because if you do not want to be here one hundred percent than I don't want you here."

"Can we..uh hear what the assignments are before we make a decision?" Eric asked nervously

"No. These assignments either deal directly with the security of the team's new location or its personal Eric." Granger said firmly as he looked at the casually dressed Technical Operations Specialist.

As everyone considered everything Granger had just told them and tried to figure out if this is what they wanted to do since they ahd just found out that their last Operations Manager, Hetty Lange, had been lying and manipulating them for years Deeks and Kensi shared a look and one of their well-known 'silent conversations' before thee both smiled simultaneously and Kensi spoke up.

"We're in." Was all she said as he used her right forefinger to motion between herself and her shaggy haired partner/boyfriend.


	7. Chapter 7

Granger nodded at Kensi and Deeks, honestly glad that the partners were willing to stay. Owen Granger was no fool and he knew that they weren't staying because of what he had done, or because of the team. The newly appointed Operations Manager and former Assistant Director knew that they were staying for each other, and nothing else.

"I'll stay." Nell spoke up and she looked over at Eric wondering what he would do but the goofy smile on his face when they to support members of the team made eye contact actually filled Nell with a sense fo relief and to be honest made her happy.

"Me too. I mean I'm in." Eric stammered out in his usual semi awkward mannerism.

Granger had expected the support members of the Office of Special Projects to stay but he really wasn't sure how far Hetty had her hooks sunk into everyone so he hadn't fully counted on anyone other than maybe Kensi and Deeks to say 'yes'. But now would be the moment of truth for the current roster of the OSP investigative team, the responses from Sam and Callen. Sam's answer could go either way and Granger knew it. On one hand the former SEAL was still a Navy man at heart and change in leadership and standing orders were part of the game, but loyalty was also very high on Sam's list of personal morals and Owen was unsure if that loyalty would be to Hetty, the team, or his partner.

On the other side of the table from Granger Sam stood in silent contemplation with his arms crossed over his broad chest as he looked at the floor in silent contemplation. All of his adult life Sam Hannah had led a life or service to the United States Government, first as a Navy SEAL and now as a Federal Agent with NCIS. But was this what he wanted to do until he either retired of was killed in the line of duty? He had a wife and daughter at home and with his background and training Sam knew he could get a different job with better pay and not wondering if he was going to get called for a long term undercover assignment that would keep him from a family he adored above everything else. The former SEAL stood there with his lips pursed as he considered his options and his future when a voice to his left spoke up pulling Sam from his thoughts.

"I'll stay." Everyone looked at Callen at the same time and they were honestly all shocked. Everyone knew that Callen and Hetty were close and to be honest they all expected him to leave the OSP, if not NCIS altogether. "But if you start acting like Hetty I'm gone." Callen said as he looked at Granger with a serious look in his eyes.

"Very well." Granger said drawing all the attention away from Callen and back to the matter at hand. "Now for your individual assignments. Agent Hannah, I have a short list of locations so for the duration of the week the two of us will be assessing each location on a variety of criteria to determine the site that will best suit the needs of this office as well as provide appropriate security while maintaining a certain degree anonymity."

Granger turned his attention to Eric and Nell before he started speaking again. "Once we have a location selected I'll need the two of you to assess what you will need to ensure that the building is secure from cyber war-fare measures as well a list of everything you will need to upgrade our current systems. And Eric, nothing that will give you an advantage for online gaming. As highly unlikely as it is that a member of the Taliban is playing a video game online we don't need to run the risk of an unsecure device accessing our network." Granger's tone of voice was firm and he leveled his glare directly at Eric who had the good graces to look sheepishly as he nodded in the affirmative to his new boss's orders.

"Agent Blye I'm temporarily reassigning you to the NCIS detachment at FLETC." As soon as the words left Grangers mouth everyone thought back to the last time that Kensi had been reassigned and what had happened.

Kensi was just starting to trust Granger, after all he had approached her and Deeks off duty and been entirely upfront with them, and now he was sending her away just like Hetty had and she simply felt numb and confused.

"Now before anyone says or does anything rash let me explain why." Granger said when he saw the looks Deeks and Callen were directing towards him. "Kensi is going to have a twofold mission. The first is to oversee the advanced training I'm going to send you to Deeks. I know you have received some of the advanced D.O.D. training and that you are a highly skilled and experienced Undercover Detective. But there is some training that I firmly believe you should have had when you first joined this office, not to mention that the only other language you speak is Spanish." Granger noticed that everyone seemed to relax a little bit since they realized that Kensi wasn't being sent on some wild goose chase again.

"So for the majority of the next three months Deeks you will receive training in several advanced D.O.D. classes and training in a language of you choosing, provided that no more than one member of the team is fluent in it." Granger said evenly as he looked at Deeks and noticed that while Deeks did not appear as angry at him the blonde Detective was visibly calmer than he had been a couple of seconds ago.

"So what's the other part of my assignment?" Kensi asked with a slightly reserved tone fo voice since the last time an Operations Manager had given her a two part assignment it hadn't turned out to well for the mismatched brown eye female.

"I would like you to assess any of the NCIS Agents receiving advanced training for possible placement within the Office of Special Project." Granger said as he turned to look at her. "This office has been highly successful but understaffed for some time now. And to be perfectly honest there have been more than a few times where you have been working to many cases at once. So I'm going to add at least one more fully functional investigation team to this office. This also means that I will need your recommendations for a second LAPD Liaison Officer from you by the end of the week Deeks." Granger said as she shifted his gaze back to the only none NCIS employee in the room.

"Anything in particular you want from them?" Deeks asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn't entirely thrilled about cherry picking someone from any of the units in the Police Department, but at the same time Deeks knew that another team could mean more work from him and then chance of not being Kensi's partner so he was willing to do what Granger wanted so he could stay partners with Kensi.

"Ideally I would request LAPD to assign someone to the position but I can't run the risk of them assigning someone who is either extremely green or close to retirement. So I need you to recommend individuals who you feel would be not only a good fit for this office, but would be able to hit the ground running if I need them to." Granger clarified the type of individuals he wanted Deeks to recommend.

"I think I know just the person for a second team. I can go to the precinct later today and pull his file and bring it back." Deeks said with a grin that promised to ensure some form of hijinks in the future, and for a second Granger wondered if he had just given Deeks more free reign than he should have before he turned to look at Callen.

"Now if no one has any questions in need you all to clear the room so that Agent Callen and I can clear the air." Granger said as he looked at Callen and could tell that this conversation should have been the first one, but the new Operations Manager wanted to do everything he could right off the bad to earn everyone's trust and prove to them that he was nothing like Hetty Lange.


	8. Chapter 8

Granger and Callen stood their staring at each other as everyone else seemed to be scurrying to get out of the Ops Center, in fact the entire scene was like something from a old Western where the towns people were rushing to safety as two gun fighters were getting ready to start shooting at high noon.

"Why should I trust you Granger?" Callen said the exact instant the door to ops closed getting right to the heart of the matter.

"I could site because I'm your Operations Manager and that if you don't trust me its going to make things around here not only uncomfortable but also very dangerous for everyone while they are in the field because you will second guess and or countermand my orders and directives." Granger spoke calmly as he looked put his hands in his pockets. "But the main reason I need and want you to trust me is because you are the team leader and whether you want to believe it or not the rest of your team does take their cues from you."

"Hmmph. Looks like Kensi and Deeks are taking their cues from you, In fact I'd say you have your hooks in them the same way you say Hetty had her hooks in us." Callen said not believing Granger but admitting to himself that Granger's logic was sound.

"Did you know that Henrietta has known Jack Simon for the past eleven years? That she has been in sporadic contact with him since before he walked out on his fiancé Agent Blye on Christmas Eve?" Granger said slowly losing his patience with Callen's petulant attitude. " That originally I wanted to bring you or Sam into the operation but Hetty insisted that Kensi's training and skill as a sniper made her far better suited to the operation that the two of you?"

Callen stood there silent as Granger verbally unloaded on him and blinked owlishly as the former Assistant Director laid out everything from the Afghanistan mission for him.

"Hetty knew that the CIA had created the story about the White Ghost to kill Jack because he had been an asset for them for too long and they didn't want to run the risk of the Taliban getting their hands on him. She knew all of this and instead of telling me the truth she tried to run another of her grand schemes and this time it backfired and we still go lucky. But what about the next time Agent Callen? Or the next? Or when she finally connives and plots to the point that it gets every single member of your team killed because Hetty Lange didn't give you all the information you needed for a operation?"

"That still doesn't explain why Kensi and Deeks are so willingly to follow your lead and this whole regime change doesn't seem to be bothering them." Callen said as he held Grangers gaze not backing down. "So what I want to know is are you holding their…whatever they are over their heads?"

"Far from it Callen. I told them two weeks ago that this unit would be coming under investigation and that I would try to protect then and the rest of the personal of the OSP from the fallout as much as I can. Last week I had uncovered the complete truth about why Kensi was sent to Afghanistan and gave the two of them the truth because they deserved it. I know that the night before Kensi was reassigned her and Detective Deeks went out. Now I don't know the specific of what happened that night and to be perfectly honest I don't care. What the Agents of NCIS do on their off duty hours is their business not mine, as long as they are not doing anything illegal or that could be detrimental to NCIS and our Nations Security I will continue to not care."

Callen couldn't help the look that crossed his face. He had suspected there was something between Deeks and Kensi but thing had been so intense lately that he hadn't really had a chance to think about it, well that and his own blooming love life. "So you're telling me that if Kensi and Deeks are in a relationship then you don't have a problem with that? With them being partners?"

"As long as they can still function as partners during an investigation or operation than no I don't care." Granger said evenly he told Callen that Kensi and Deeks had his blessing, more or less.

And suddenly everything started to fall into place for Callen as his eyes filled with recognition as he started to put the pieces together. "That's why you're sending Kensi and Deeks to FLETC. You want to see if they can find a balance between their personal and professional lives."

"Partially. Have you ever taken more than a cursory look at Deeks personnel file?" Granger asked Callen as he walked over to the closest computer and began to tap away rapidly at the keyboard. "Did you know that Deeks has conducted more successful investigations and undercover operations than any two agents from this office combined, including you and Agent Hannah."

Granger stepped back from the computer and stood in front fo the large plasma screen as the pages of Deeks file began to slowly scroll through. "As it stand Detective Deeks skill set is nothing to scoff at when compared to the rest of your team. But if you compare him to the rest of the LAPD which he is still part of Deeks looks like something out of a action movie from the 80's. After he finishes training at FLETC Detective Deeks will be as trained and skilled as anyone from your team, and I have every intention of offering him a position with NCIS as a member of this team."

"You do know that Hetty wanted to get Deeks to become a Agent too right?" Callen said as he smirked at Granger. "Seems like your starting to follow in her footsteps and you haven't even made it a full day on the job." Callen was bating Granger because he still didn't trust the man and he wanted to try and get a better read on him.

"I know she wanted to make him an agent. The difference is that I am letting Kensi and Deeks to find their own way without any outside interference or influence. That's why I am sending both of them to FLETC. Deeks will be busy with training but he will have down time and some most of the weekends to relax and recover from the weeks training and it will give them the best chance to figure out how to keep things in perspective and balanced." Granger said refusing to raise to Callen's dig. "If Deeks joins NCIS it will be because he wants to, not because he was twisted and manipulated into it."

**MEANWHILE IN THE BULLPEN**

"So let me get this straight. You two went out on a date and then the next day Hetty reassigns Kensi to Afghanistan and then lets you think that Kensi being reassigned was because of your guy's personal relationship?" Sam asked as he leaned back against his portion of the desk he shared with Deeks as he looked at the LAPD Liaison and the female junior agent of the OSP's investigation team who were sitting right next to each other.

"Yeah pretty much. That and since she got back me and Kensi have been taking things slow and just spending time together outside of work as more than partners and friends." Deeks said as he sat there next to Kensi and couldn't help himself and stretched his left pinky finger out towards her and the two of them hooked their pinky fingers together and looked at each other with a small but noticeable smile on their faces.

"Well I hate to be the one to burst your bubble Deeks but everyone pretty much figured out that something had happened between you two." Sam paused as he used his right index finger to motion between the two of them. "The day you got reassigned Kensi wasn't exactly the smoothest you two could have handled things." Sam said with a light hearted grin.

"Hey I was smooth!" Kensi declared trying to defend her less than subtle behavior changes.

"Pfft like a bull in a china shop." Deeks teased Kensi. "OW!" Deeks cried out as Kensi put pressure on his pinky bending it sideways, but not breaking it, and slugging him in the shoulder with her free hand. "Touché Kens."

"Touché Deeks."

"That's not even close to being right Kensi." Deeks whined as Sam chuckled at the pair. When every heard the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs all the smiles and conversation stopped as they turned to look at Callen as he walked down the stairs.

"Everything ok G?" Sam asked as he stood upright and let his arms hand at his sides as the bald former SEAL turned to look at his friend and partner.


End file.
